Are you looking to avoid legal concerns with slippery floor graphics?
Then you will want to stay away from products that don’t certify slip resistance with the Pendulum Test.
As a result of the recent Covid-19 Pandemic, many commercial properties including retail stores, restaurants, and school buildings, have rushed to apply “social distance” signage onto their floors. At the onset of the Pandemic, this created a gold rush of sorts, with printers looking for materials that were suitable for floors.
The high demand was unprecedented and created a material shortage. Sign shops and suppliers were desperate to fill orders. That’s when DreamScape took the opportunity to fill this demand by updating an existing wall graphic material with attributes suitable for floors. What we learned in the process was that most of the products being utilized for floor graphics are not properly certified, especially with respect to slip resistance testing standards. In fact, they are relying on ancient test methods which can’t effectively determine the slipperiness of a surface. And we want to clarify some of the false claims.
We have discovered and pointed out the advantages of using a product that has been properly certified. To do this we have consulted with slip certification experts. Below is a list of common slip certifications we have discovered while reviewing popular self-adhesive floor materials in the digital print industry. The comments that follow are taken from the guidance of our third-party expert.
PENDULUM: AS HB198:2014 – Excellent. The only test to assess real slip resistance. Pendulum is based on peer-reviewed science and utilized around the world. Results relate to specific recommendations on where you should and should not use a product.
ANSI A137.1 / A326.3 – Fair. A more recent American test was devised to replace ASTM C1028. This is inferior to Pendulum but often referenced in the USA. This test should not be used alone to assess the slipperiness of a floor because it works on a pass-fail basis which is too broad to describe variations in the real world. It is relevant simply due to its popularity.
ASTM C1028 – Invalid. This test method was withdrawn in 2014 because it was found to be bogus and gives any product a passing grade. No product should be using this today, unfortunately, they do. Misleading at best, potentially fraudulent. Here is a link to more information on this test.
RAMP TEST: DIN 51130 – Invalid. This is a German ramp test where products get an R rating between R13 ( not slippery) and R9 ( very slippery). This test measures people walking with work boots on an oily, wet ramp. Unless your intention is to understand work boots on an oily surface, this test is not applicable. Even so, we see products claiming “R10” scores, which is not only irrelevant for studying floor graphics, but actually a poor result for this test. More information about this test is available here.
ASTM D-2047 – Invalid. An old test from the 1950s created for testing floor wax, is a static test that has been shown to be useless. This tests how slippery a floor is to someone who is standing still (static), not someone who is walking on it. Completely useless for our purpose.
UL410 – Invalid. Another old test from the 1950s was for measuring floor wax. Completely invalid for the purpose of measuring the slipperiness of moving people on various surfaces. Most likely a misused test simply because of its association with a popular laboratory.
Meet Caviar and Ravello. Floor Graphics from DreamScape.
DreamScape has launched two products that are suitable for floor graphics and they are certified with two tests: Pendulum AS HB198:2014 and ANSI A137.1/A326.3.
Caviar and Ravello also come with these industry-leading benefits:
ONE STEP PROCESS – our product can be printed and installed without the need for an additional laminated top layer or coating. This streamlines the process of creating floor graphics and reduces cost.
PERMANENTLY REMOVABLE – our product utilizes a special microspheric self-adhesive that is designed to be removable, but also strong enough to last after being peeled off and reapplied.
3 PLY DURABILITY – our product is made with multiple layers of polymeric vinyl and reinforced with a rip-free fabric. Caviar and Ravello will outlast competitive self-adhesive vinyl films.
HEAVY-DUTY – 13 mil thick | 14.5 oz per linear yard.
DECORATIVE EMBOSSING – Caviar and Ravello offer designers and specifiers unique aesthetics that can enhance a signage campaign. Caviar has a heavy sandpaper look, while Ravello looks like a quality canvas.
SLIP RESISTANCE – certified with two tests: Pendulum AS HB198:2014 and ANSI A137.1/A326.3.
FLAME CERTIFICATION – ASTM E648 – Class 1.
100% MADE IN THE USA
If you want peace of mind knowing that you are using the highest quality product, with the highest level of slip-resistance, then join the growing list of retailers, restaurants, schools, and more who are turning to DreamScape Caviar and Ravello for floor graphics.
Please contact us to learn more, we are happy to help!